Anita Valanju Shelgikar, MD, MHPE: Training physicians of the future

Dr. Shelgikar’s Michigan Answer: I was looking for an environment that encourages growth and provides mentorship and I've found that here at Michigan Medicine.

Anita Valanju Shelgikar (she/her/hers), MD, MHPE, is a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School and the director of the sleep medicine fellowship at Michigan Medicine. Her higher education journey began at U-M, where she earned an undergraduate degree before pursuing her medical education at Wayne State University. She further developed her interests in neurology and sleep medicine during residency and an academic fellowship and has earned an MHPE at U-M. She is passionate about competency-based education, with a focus on assessment and development of the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for physicians in training to become ready for independent practice.

What drew you to a career in medicine and what challenges have you faced? 

I’ve wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember. I love the opportunity to deeply engage with people with the ultimate goal of helping them seek and achieve a better quality of life through better health. 

I have found that it takes dedicated energy and focus to maintain work-life integration in a way that is meaningful in both domains. Through many years of trying different strategies, I have found that mindset journaling has really helped me to stay grounded, to have gratitude for everything I’m able to do and to keep seeking interactions and opportunities that are personally and professionally fulfilling.

What is your favorite part of working at UMMS?

The people! I have grown so much during my time as faculty, and I am grateful for the people who make UMMS and Michigan Medicine what they are. UMMS’s culture of inquiry and commitment to being on the cutting-edge of discovery and patient care is energizing and inspiring. I also love the spirit and enthusiasm the comes with being in a university town.

Do you have any memorable stories from your time as a medical student that you’d like to share?

Wow, so hard to pick one story to share! I remember so many instances of feeling wide-eyed and trying to take it all in, and then those remarkable “Aha!” moments when things we learned in class suddenly came to life and directly applied to patient care. But the feeling I remember most from medical school is being surrounded by people who would become lifelong friends; the friendships from medical school are like no other.

What is one thing you want students to know about the faculty at UMMS?

The UMMS faculty are committed to training physicians of the future. This commitment includes engaging with and learning from our students, along with constantly growing our skills as educators, to provide the best learning experiences that we can for our students.

What other professional activities are you involved with outside of UMMS? 

I serve on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) Board of Directors, and recently concluded a three-year term as president of the AASM Foundation. Serving in this capacity allows me to work with people from diverse backgrounds and institutions to contribute to patient care and to the field of sleep medicine on a larger scale.

This work is so important to me because sleep health is inexplicably tied to quality of life and to so many health outcomes. I also bring this emphasis on healthy sleep to UMMS in my role as the wellness advocate for the Department of Neurology, as healthy sleep is an important factor in mitigating burnout of our health care workforce.

When you aren’t working, what are you up to? Any favorite Ann Arbor spots? 

I love to spend time with family and friends. Most of our family time together is at sporting events and while bantering around the kitchen table. I play on a tennis team during the summer and play indoors with a group of friends through the rest of the year. I also love meeting up with friends to go for walks through Ann Arbor’s many parks.

I actually have two favorite spots on campus! I love spending time in the Nichols Arboretum when I want to be immersed in nature, surrounded by the sights and sounds of Ann Arbor’s natural beauty. When I want to feel the energy and spirit that is the University of Michigan, I go for a walk through the Diag in the heart of campus.